Carrot & Apple Soup

I know it sounds crazy... apples in soup?! Trust me on this, it is good! The russet potato in this recipe lends itself to a more comforting taste, and the mix of crushed red pepper and thyme balance out the sweetness. An additional bonus is that it also happens to be a vegan recipe.  Now all I need to do is bake a loaf of homemade bread to enjoy with this amazing "soon to be Fall" treat!

Ingredients:

1 large russet baking potato (peeled)

5 medium carrots (peeled)

1 small - medium gala apple (peeled)

1/4 of a medium sweet onion

1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil (I use extra virgin, but whatever you have will do)

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves - divided (Important note here: use fresh, not dried. There's a definite taste difference. )

Salt & pepper to taste

2 cups filtered water

Paprika & thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)

Slice all veggies and apple into equal size pieces. I like to slice mine thin so that they cook faster, but the most important thing is that they're the same size. Heat oil in medium sauce pan over medium-high heat, add onion, potato, carrots and apple. Add in crushed red pepper and salt/pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally until everything is slightly tender, yet still has a bite to it. You should also get some browning in the bottom of the pan at this point. (If it seems like everything is cooking too quickly, lower the heat closer to medium.) Once you've reached this point, add in 1/2 the thyme and let cook for another minute or so. Add the water, cover and allow to boil over med-high heat until everything is very soft. It's important to cook until very soft versus fork tender to ensure a smooth consistency. Turn off the heat and allow to cool slightly in pan. 

Then purée either in your blender or with an emersion blender. 

 I have a Blendtec, and in that I pulsed a couple of times to combine, then blended at speed 1 for 15 seconds and then on speed 5 for another 15 seconds.  The main thing is to purée until it is super smooth. 

Stir in the rest of the thyme and add more salt/pepper if needed. Pour into 4 individual bowls and garnish with paprika and thyme sprigs. 

Serves 4

Per serving: 181 calories; 5 grams fat; 31 grams carbs; 4 grams protein

Almond "Joyous" Butter

Sometimes, you just really want a candy bar, but don't want all the processed junk that comes with it. Don't fear! I've come up with a great treat that satisfies those cravings while offering heart healthy ingredients! My Almond "Joyous" Butter really hits the spot, and can be enjoyed straight out of the jar! 

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup almonds

16 dark chocolate chips

If using a high powered blender such as a Blendtec or a Vitamix, simply add ingredients to your blender jar and process until smooth. This can usually be accomplished in a couple of minutes. If using a food processor, add all ingredients to the processor bowl, and process on high for 20 minutes. You can process for only 15 minutes, but going the full 20 will give you a smooth and creamy consistency. 

Seving size: 1 Tbsp

Serves 6

Per serving: 90 calories, 7 grams heart healthy fat, 5 grams carbs and 3 grams protein. 

"Peaches & Cream + Green" Smoothie

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 serving of your favorite vanilla protein powder

2 small-medium peaches (skin on, pits removed)

1 small banana (peeled)

2-3 cups baby spinach

6-8 ice cubes 

Blend until smooth and enjoy immediately. 

Apples & Peanut Butter - Green Smoothie

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 Tbsp Pb2 powdered peanutbutter 

1 small container non-fat vanilla Greek yogurt*

1 medium Granny Smith apple (core removed & apple cut into chunks)

1 tsp each pure vanilla extract and cinnamon

2 cups organic baby spinach

1 cup ice

Place ingredients in the order listed into a high-powered blender, blend until smooth and enjoy!

*You can replace the yogurt with your favorite vanilla plant based protein to make this smoothie vegan. The nutritional info will stay about the same. The main difference will be a creamy versus light texture. :)

Calories 290; fat 4g; carbs 50g; fiber 10g; protein 19g

Mediterranean Chicken (from the cookbook)

Ingredients:
8 chicken tenderloins (all visible fat removed)
1 14.5 oz. can petite cut diced tomatoes (I use the garlic basil flavored ones)
1 c. 98% fat free chicken broth
1 4.5 oz. jar sliced mushrooms (drained)
1 3.8 oz. can sliced olives (drained)
1 16 oz. can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ tsp. ground black pepper
cooking spray

Directions:
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray & cook chicken on medium heat until golden brown. Add the onions and garlic and about ¼ of the chicken broth and cook until onions are soft.  Add the rest of the chicken broth and the other ingredients and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes until everything is warmed and the flavors are mixed.

Serve over a bed of Israeli couscous.

Nutritional: Per serving (without couscous) - 233 calories; 4.5 g fat; 17% calories from fat
Serves: 6

Healthy Tip: Have some fats on your salad!

Too often when people are trying to eat healthier, they opt for salads with fat-free dressing.  The problem though, is that by not having any fats on your salad, your body is missing out on all of those fat-soluble vitamins (micronutrients) that it needs.  A great way to get the most out of all of those good veggies (and fruits) is to dress your salad with flavorful vinegar and a touch of heart healthy oil, such as extra virgin olive oil.  Then, add some good fats like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts or almonds to your salad.  By doing this, your body will absorb all of that nutritional greatness that it needs.

Italian Herb Chicken (from the cookbook)

Ingredients:
4 plum tomatoes
1 whole lime
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes (preferably organic w/ Italian herbs)
5-10 (depending on your taste) whole garlic cloves,  minced
5 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp. white wine (can be cooking or table wine)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast (all visible fat removed)
8 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked

Directions:
Dice 3 of the tomatoes and place in a large skillet. Mash with a potato masher until they are smushy. Dice and add the last tomato without mashing. Add the can of diced tomatoes including the juice. Next, cut your lime in half and squeeze all of the juice out into the pan. Add the minced garlic (5 - 10 cloves to taste), the basil and the wine. Stir and let simmer over a low to med/low heat. Cut your chicken into either strips or bite size pieces and cook until golden brown on medium heat in a separate skillet.
When cooked, add your chicken to the sauce and let simmer on low heat for at least 10 minutes (the longer it simmers, the more the chicken absorbs the flavor of the sauce).

Spoon over your cooked angel hair pasta.

Nutritional: Per Serving (without pasta) - 178.25 calories; 0.5g fat
Serves: 4